Hello 2018!

2017 has been one hell of a year to say the least. It has simultaneously been the worst year of my life, and also the year I have grown and evolved most as a person. 2017 has taught me more than I thought was possible to learn. It taught me to treasure those closest to me, and to be genuinely grateful for every single day. It taught me to live in the moment, because nothing that has already happened or that may happen needs to be stressed over; life is way too precious. 2017 was a year of total heartbreak, loss and grief. It was also a year of tremendous progress and development, of which I am so proud.

Bringing in the New Year with a member of the family missing was a strange feeling. On my birthday, I kept thinking back to this time last year, when we all sat around the dinner table eating New Years Day lunch. Of course, this was in many ways a sad thought, however it also made me appreciate the people I did have around me this year even more. Though it was a bittersweet day, I had the most wonderful birthday and New Year.

2017 forced me to be strong and brave, and ultimately made me realise what I am capable of. My hope for this year is that I can make use of that realisation. I truly believe that the hardest times do make us more resilient, and can provide us with so much strength and determination in the long run. Thinking about this makes me smile, because it proves that my Dad is teaching me just as much in his death as he did during his life.

Blogging wise, I have some big ambitions for this year. Should all go to plan, 2018 will be the year I go self-hosted, which as fellow bloggers will know, opens up a whole host of new opportunities. Working on email subscription is also amongst my plans, as well as being more involved and engaged in social media other than Instagram. I’m truly so excited about what is in store, and I hope that a year from now I can look back and think ‘I did it’.